Blackstone Valley Prep Elementary 1 291 Broad St Cumberland, RI (401) 335-3133
Introduction Located in Cumberland Rhode Island, lies Blackstone Valley Prep Elementary School 1. Catering to scholars from the surrounding areas of Central Falls, Lincoln and Pawtucket; BVP serves students in Kindergarten through Fifth grade. They argue that students are so much more then just students; they are scholars. At BVP, educators try to prepare students for success later in life as well as in their higher education career.
Test Scores One of the main goals of charter schools like BVP is to have their students achieve a certain level of success on standardized testing. When students preform amicably on these tests, it shows the community that the school is successful in preparing students for higher education. BVP is no exception, during the 2012-2013 school year both the third grade math and reading scores were much improved over that of the state. In math, over eighty percent of BVP students achieved or succeeded the target score. The same percentage was met with the reading section of the NECAP. These scores are much different than that of the state which was sixty percent in math and seventy in reading respectively. The reasons for these impressive scores include the teachers and the dedication of students. At BVP, all of the teachers are certified in elementary education. Students show their dedication through their impeccable attendance rate of ninety eight percent.
Teacher's Role Teachers play an important role in starting the preparation of young students for higher education. At BVP, teachers range in experience from less than a year to more than twenty years. This provides new teachers with a mentor who can show them some of the tricks of the trade while newer teachers can provide innovative and new teaching strategies. In the state of Rhode Island, most teachers provide students with the ability to revise assignments. This can cause the child to not work as hard the first time around. It is for this reason that unlike the forty five percent of Rhode Island teachers who allow this, just under ten percent of BVP teachers give their students this option. Teachers at BVP view different things as the "most important" than the state, this can be seen in the way they weigh grades. At BVP, end of the year exams account for double what they do in the state. In Rhode Island they are weighted at about forty percent. At BVP, they are almost eighty percent. On the opposite end, Rhode Island schools put more emphasis on classwork, accounting for almost eighty eight percent. At BVP, classwork accounts for only seventy percent. The homework assigned is also different. At BVP, they will assign more work out of class, making homework take a little longer than that of other schools in Rhode Island. It is all a balancing act, the more homework, the less emphasis on classwork and vice versa. Thus, the role of the teacher and the way in which they choose to lead their classroom will have different effects on students.
Parents Role A parent's role in a young child's schooling can have a great impact on their lives later on. At BVP, parents are very involved in activities for the school. Whether it be parent teacher conferences or after school program events, the presence of parents is easily seen. While parent's participation can be seen throughout the state, it is more popular at BVP. Unlike the rest of Rhode Island, the parent's relationship with BVP is overwhelmingly, with eighty two percent, viewed as an important partnership. In Rhode Island, only forty two percent of people strongly agree with this fact. If a parent ever needed to get in contact with the school or vice versa, it is important to have a good relationship between the two. Without this, it would be difficult to ever meet the student's needs.
291 Broad St
Cumberland, RI
(401) 335-3133
Introduction
Located in Cumberland Rhode Island, lies Blackstone Valley Prep Elementary School 1. Catering to scholars from the surrounding areas of Central Falls, Lincoln and Pawtucket; BVP serves students in Kindergarten through Fifth grade. They argue that students are so much more then just students; they are scholars. At BVP, educators try to prepare students for success later in life as well as in their higher education career.
Test Scores
One of the main goals of charter schools like BVP is to have their students achieve a certain level of success on standardized testing. When students preform amicably on these tests, it shows the community that the school is successful in preparing students for higher education. BVP is no exception, during the 2012-2013 school year both the third grade math and reading scores were much improved over that of the state. In math, over eighty percent of BVP students achieved or succeeded the target score. The same percentage was met with the reading section of the NECAP. These scores are much different than that of the state which was sixty percent in math and seventy in reading respectively. The reasons for these impressive scores include the teachers and the dedication of students. At BVP, all of the teachers are certified in elementary education. Students show their dedication through their impeccable attendance rate of ninety eight percent.
Teacher's Role
Teachers play an important role in starting the preparation of young students for higher education. At BVP, teachers range in experience from less than a year to more than twenty years. This provides new teachers with a mentor who can show them some of the tricks of the trade while newer teachers can provide innovative and new teaching strategies. In the state of Rhode Island, most teachers provide students with the ability to revise assignments. This can cause the child to not work as hard the first time around. It is for this reason that unlike the forty five percent of Rhode Island teachers who allow this, just under ten percent of BVP teachers give their students this option. Teachers at BVP view different things as the "most important" than the state, this can be seen in the way they weigh grades. At BVP, end of the year exams account for double what they do in the state. In Rhode Island they are weighted at about forty percent. At BVP, they are almost eighty percent. On the opposite end, Rhode Island schools put more emphasis on classwork, accounting for almost eighty eight percent. At BVP, classwork accounts for only seventy percent. The homework assigned is also different. At BVP, they will assign more work out of class, making homework take a little longer than that of other schools in Rhode Island. It is all a balancing act, the more homework, the less emphasis on classwork and vice versa. Thus, the role of the teacher and the way in which they choose to lead their classroom will have different effects on students.
Parents Role
A parent's role in a young child's schooling can have a great impact on their lives later on. At BVP, parents are very involved in activities for the school. Whether it be parent teacher conferences or after school program events, the presence of parents is easily seen. While parent's participation can be seen throughout the state, it is more popular at BVP. Unlike the rest of Rhode Island, the parent's relationship with BVP is overwhelmingly, with eighty two percent, viewed as an important partnership. In Rhode Island, only forty two percent of people strongly agree with this fact. If a parent ever needed to get in contact with the school or vice versa, it is important to have a good relationship between the two. Without this, it would be difficult to ever meet the student's needs.
Works Cited
“RISchools - Blackstone Valley Description.” Accessed November 1, 2013. http://rischools.wikispaces.com/Blackstone+Valley+Description.
“Surveyworks-2012-2013-blackstone-valley-prep-elementary-school-student-parent-teacher-es.pdf.” Accessed November 1, 2013. http://infoworks.ride.ri.gov/files/surveyworks/2012-2013/combined/surveyworks-2012-2013-blackstone-valley-prep-elementary-school-student-parent-teacher-es.pdf.